Millions watch Tour de France start in Yorkshire

Cycling fans - including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry - watched the start of the world's most famous cycle race in Yorkshire over the weekend. Millions of spectators lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the sprinters.

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Fans who take selfies while watching the Tour de France are dangerous to riders, Team Sky rider Geraint Thomas has warned.

The Welsh cyclist said: "The worst thing is when people have got their back to the peloton taking selfies. There were a few. They don't see us coming, they're stood in the road and it's dodgy. If you want to do that, stand on a wall or something.

"I think people need to realise we take up the whole road."

Crowds line the streets as Le Tour passes through Yorkshire. Credit: PA

He added: "There have been too many accidents with riders hitting spectators, we don't want to see that but it could easily happen."

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Organisers had to climb up scaffolding to top the enormous vessel with the locally-brewed Stod Fold's Gold ale. Credit: PA

A British pub has toasted the Tour de France coming to town by pouring the world's largest ever glass of beer at 3,664 pints - one for each kilometre of the race.

The Fleece Countryside Inn in Ripponden, Yorkshire, smashed the previous record of 2,638, which was achieved in California in 2009.

And they managed to fill it to the brim with time to spare before racers came through Ripponden for the second stage of the Tour.

Angus Wood, co-founder of Stod Fold Brewing Company which produces the pale ale and masterminded the world record bid, said: "We thought it would be a great way to toast the success of the Tour de France's Yorkshire leg.